View source for HMAS Kiama

{{Short description|Ship of the New Zealand Navy}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Kiama (AWM 300888).jpg|300px|HMAS Kiama]]
|Ship caption=HMAS ''Kiama'' in 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=Australia
|Ship name=HMAS ''Kiama''
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Australia|naval-1913}}
|Ship namesake=Town of [[Kiama, New South Wales]]
|Ship builder=[[Evans Deakin & Co]]
|Ship laid down=2 November 1942
|Ship launched=3 July 1943
|Ship commissioned=26 January 1944
|Ship decommissioned=3 April 1946
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: J353
|Ship honours=*Battle honours:
*[[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|Pacific]] 1944–45
*[[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] 1944
|Ship fate=Transferred to RNZN
|Ship notes= 
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=New Zealand
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|New Zealand|naval}}
|Ship acquired=5 March 1952
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=19 August 1976
|Ship renamed=HMNZS ''Kiama''
|Ship reclassified=Training ship
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: M353
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Paid off for disposal
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class={{sclass|Bathurst|corvette}}
|Ship displacement=*''As built:''
*650&nbsp;tons standard
*1,025&nbsp;tons (full war load)
*''RNZN service:''
*790&nbsp;tons
|Ship length={{convert|186|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|31|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|8.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|2,000|hp|abbr=on|lk=in}}
|Ship propulsion=*Triple-expansion steam engine
*2 shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=*''As built:'' 85
*''RNZN service:'' 65
|Ship sensors=
|Ship armament=*''As built:''
*1 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|4 inch Mk XIX]] HA gun
*''RNZN service:''
*2 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40&nbsp;mm guns]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMAS ''Kiama''''', named for the coastal town of [[Kiama, New South Wales]], was one of 60 {{sclass|Bathurst|corvette}}s constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN).<ref name=SPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-kiama-i |title=HMAS Kiama (I) |access-date=26 August 2008 |work=HMA Ship Histories |publisher=Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104182136/http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-kiama-i |archive-date=4 November 2012 }}</ref>

After World War II, the corvette was one of four sold to the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] (RNZN). She served as '''HMNZS ''Kiama''''' from 1952 until 1976, when the corvette was paid off and marked for disposal.

==Design and construction==
{{main|Bathurst-class corvette}}
In 1938, the [[Australian Commonwealth Naval Board]] (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.<ref name=Hindsight1>Stevens, ''The Australian Corvettes'', p. 1</ref><ref name=StevensACV103>Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 103</ref> The vessel was initially envisaged as having a [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least {{convert|10|kn|lk=in}}, and a range of {{convert|2000|nmi|lk=in}}<ref name=StevensACV103.4>Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', pp. 103–4</ref> The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled {{sclass2|Bar|boom defence vessel}} saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a {{convert|15.5|kn}} top speed, and a range of {{convert|2850|nmi}}, armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with [[asdic]], and able to fitted with either [[depth charge]]s or [[Naval mine#Mine sweeping|minesweeping]] equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.<ref name=Hindsight1/><ref>Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', pp. 103–5</ref> Construction of the prototype {{HMAS|Kangaroo}} did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.<ref name=StevensACV104>Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 104</ref> The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of World War II saw the "Australian Minesweepers" (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 (including ''Kiama'') ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the [[British Admiralty]] but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the [[Royal Indian Navy]].<ref name=Hindsight1/><ref>Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', pp. 105, 148</ref><ref name=Donohue29>Donohue, ''From Empire Defence to the Long Haul'', p. 29</ref><ref name=Stevens108>Stevens et al., ''The Royal Australian Navy'', p. 108</ref><ref name=SPC/>

''Kiama'' was constructed by [[Evans Deakin & Co]], at [[Brisbane]], Queensland.<ref name=SPC/> She was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 2 November 1942, and [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 3 July 1943 by Mrs. G. Lawson, wife of the [[Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (Australia)|Minister for Transport]].<ref name=SPC/> ''Kiama'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the RAN on 26 January 1944.<ref name=SPC/> The coastal community of Kiama, after which the vessel was named, donated recreational materiel for her crew including a radio set, books, and a 16&nbsp;mm movie projector.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102090577 |title=H.M.A.S. "KIAMA". |newspaper=The Kiama Reporter and Illawarra Journal|location=NSW |date=23 August 1944 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102091426 |title=H.M.A.S. KIAMA. |newspaper=The Kiama Reporter and Illawarra Journal |location=NSW |date=8 March 1944 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==Operational history==

===World War II===
''Kiama''{{'}}s first deployment was in March 1944 to [[Milne Bay]] in [[New Guinea]].<ref name=SPC/> From her arrival until September 1944, the corvette's main duty was to escort convoys along the New Guinea coastline, although a reassignment for the duration of June saw ''Kiama'' perform anti-submarine patrols in the [[Solomon Sea]].<ref name=SPC/> In September, ''Kiama'' was used to transport soldiers between New Guinea and [[New Britain]].<ref name=SPC/> On conclusion, she resumed her convoy escort role until the end of 1944, when she departed for Sydney.<ref name=SPC/> During her eight months in New Guinea waters, ''Kiama'' travelled over {{convert|30000|nmi|km}}, was at sea for more than 3,000 hours.<ref name=SPC/>

<!--Commandos from-->
In September 1944 'C' Troop and a small detachment from 'B' Troop, from the [[2/8th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/8th Commando Squadron]] were landed from HMAS Kiama on a reconnaissance operation at [[Jacquinot Bay]] on the island of [[New Britain]], to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the [[5th Division (Australia)|5th Division]].<ref name=Astill24>Astill 1996, p. 24.</ref>

The corvette arrived in [[Sydney]] on 21 December 1944.<ref name=SPC/> On 25 December, the crew was recalled from leave to go to the assistance of the [[liberty ship]] {{SS|Robert J. Walker}}, which had been torpedoed by German submarine {{ship|German submarine|U-862||2}}.<ref name=SPC/> ''Kiama'', along with {{HMAS|Quickmatch|G92|2}}, {{HMAS|Yandra||2}}, and {{USS|PC597}} were dispatched to the last known location of the ship and began to search the area for the liberty ship's crew and the attacking submarine; finding the 67 survivors of the attack at 05:45 on 26 December but failing to locate ''U-862''.<ref name=Gill552>{{cite book |last=Gill |first=George Hermon |title=Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945 |year=1968 |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=25 |format=PDF |access-date=2007-05-14 |series=[[Australia in the War of 1939–1945]], Series 2, Volume II |publisher=Australian War Memorial |location=Canberra |id=[[National Library of Australia|NLA]] registry number Aus 68-1798 |oclc=65475 |chapter=Submarines' Swansong |chapter-url=http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/25/chapters/19.pdf |page=552 |archive-date=27 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827072128/http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Kiama'' was assigned to anti-submarine patrols near Sydney for the final days of the year, before sailing to [[Adelaide]] for a month-long refit on 3 January 1945.<ref name=SPC/>

Post-refit, ''Kiama'' was assigned to [[Fremantle]] for two months of anti-submarine warfare exercises with the [[United States Navy]], before returning to New Guinea on 7 May 1945.<ref name=SPC/> In May and June, the corvette performed several coastal bombardments in the [[Autonomous Region of Bougainville|Bougainville area]].<ref name=SPC/> In July, ''Kiama'' transported [[Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester]] from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, then spent the rest of the month moving troops and military cargo between these two locations.<ref name=SPC/> From 5 to 24 August, the corvette was based in Brisbane, before returning to New Guinea waters.<ref name=SPC/> ''Kiama'' spent the rest of 1945 as a troop and supply transport, minesweeper, and general duties vessel.<ref name=SPC/> When the war ended, ''Kiama'' took part in the Japanese surrender at [[Rabaul]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102092089 |title=HMAS Kiama at Rabaul |newspaper=The Kiama Reporter and Illawarra Journal |location=NSW |date=12 September 1945 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In November, ''Kiama'' was assigned to escort demilitarized Japanese cruiser {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kashima||2}} as the cruiser embarked Japanese soldiers in New Guinea for repatriation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12155559 |title=Jap colonel gets sharp lesson in manners. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=27 November 1945 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

''Kiama'' returned to Sydney on 29 January 1946.<ref name=SPC/> In February she paid a six-day farewell visit to the town of Kiama, ahead of her [[Ship decommissioning|decommission]] into the Reserve on 3 April.<ref name=SPC/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104967362 |title=H.M.A.S. KIAMA LEAVES. |newspaper=The Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser|location=NSW |date=16 February 1946 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> During her wartime service, the ship had been at sea for 6,369 hours, and had sailed a distance of {{convert|60822|nmi|km}}.<ref name=SPC/> She earned two [[battle honour]]s: "Pacific 1944–45" and "New Guinea 1944".<ref name=newhonours>{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |title=Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |archive-date=13 June 2011 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=honourslist>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |title=Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064156/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2011 |access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref>

===Transfer to RNZN===
On 5 March 1952, ''Kiama'' and three other ''Bathurst''-class corvettes ({{HMAS|Echuca||2}}, {{HMAS|Inverell||2}}, and {{HMAS|Stawell||2}}) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-inverell-i |title=HMAS Inverell (I) |access-date=27 August 2008 |work=HMA Ship Histories |publisher=Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105161516/http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-inverell-i |archive-date=5 November 2012 }}</ref> ''Kiama'' was commissioned into the RNZN,{{When|date=May 2009}} receiving the prefix HMNZS. Upon acquisition by New Zealand, the corvette was converted into a [[training ship]].{{sfn|Gardiner|1995|p=285}} ''Kiama''{{'}}s 4-inch gun and aft minesweeping equipment were removed, and replaced with two [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40&nbsp;mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns]].{{sfn|Gardiner|1995|p=285}}  This is contradicted by a 1996 newspaper article which said it had been mothballed by the New Zealand Navy and converted to a training ship and for use on fisheries patrols in 1966.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660414.2.48| title = Kiama Ready For Training | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press| via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31034 |date=14 April 1966 |page=3}}</ref>

In 1966, ''Kiama'' was re-commissioned under command of Lieutenant-Commander E Burrows in the 27th Fisheries Protection Squadron to join her sister ship [[HMNZS Inverell]].<ref>''Jane's Fighting Ships'' (1966), p.195</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660315.2.41| title = Fisheries Patrol | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31009 |date=15 March 1966|page=3}}</ref> Other duties included search-and-rescue operations and transportation of scientific teams to small island along New Zealand's coastline.<ref>''The New Zealand Entomologist'', vol.5 (1971), p. 14</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ballance |first=Alison |date=2007-09-27 |title=Don Merton: The Man Who Saved the Black Robin |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=2fNEAAAAYAAJ&q=Kiama+HMNZS+1967|publisher=Reed Books |isbn=9780790011592 |access-date=2013-12-27 }}</ref>

In May 1966 the ''Kiama'' was involved in the search for the [[MV Kaitawa|''Kaitawa'']] which was lost with all hands near 90 mile beach.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660528.2.178 | title = Report On Loss Of Kaitawa | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31071 |date=28 May 1966 |page=18}}</ref> Apart from the initial search, the ''Kiama'' formed part of ''Operation Seabed'', along with the ''Inverell'' and the frigate [[HMNZS Taranaki|''Taranaki'']].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660601.2.9?| title = Navy Divers To Search Seabed For Kaitawa | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Prress | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31074 |date=1 June 1966 |page=1}}</ref>

The corvette revisited her namesake town in Australia in late 1966.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106944694 |title=Town awaits namesake. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=5 November 1966 |access-date=28 December 2013 |page=30 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

===RNZN Commanders===
* 1966 Lt Commander E Burrows
* 1967 Lt-commander M C Verran
* 1968 Lt-Commander L J Tempero<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680516.2.13 | title = Minesweeper Command | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31680 |date=16 May 1968 |page=1}}</ref>
* 1970 Lt-Commander F D Arnott<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19700619.2.161 | title = LYTTELTON SHIPPING | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31680 |date=19 June 1970 |page=16}}</ref>
* 1971 Lt-Commander D L Douglas<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710619.2.176 | title = LYTTELTON SHIPPING | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=32637 |date=19 June 1971 |page=19}}</ref>
* 1973 Lt Commander N Cameron<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730224.2.196 | title = Shipping News - Arrivals | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=32637 |date=24 February 1973 |page=20}}</ref>

==Fate==
On 27 May 1968 the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral J O Ross, described the ''Kiama'' and ''Inverell'' as obsolete and no longer fit for purpose.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680528.2.135 | title = Crisis At Hand In Naval Affairs | accessdate = 21 May 2023 |work=The Press | via = paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |issue=31690 |date=28 May 1968 |page=18}}</ref> The ''Kiama'' remained in service until 1975 when it was placed in reserve. The ship was [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|paid off]] for disposal on 19 August 1976 and [[ship breaking|broken up]] in 1979.<ref name=SPC/>{{sfn|Gardiner|1995|p=285}}

==Citations==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
===Books===
*{{cite book |last=Donohue |first=Hector |title=From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955 |series=Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs |volume=1 |date=October 1996 |publisher=Sea Power Centre |location=Canberra |isbn=0-642-25907-0 |issn=1327-5658 |oclc=36817771}}
*{{cite book |editor-first=Robert |editor-last= Gardiner|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher= Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1557501325|year= 1995}}
*{{cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |title=A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defense 1915–1954 |series=Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs |volume=15 |year=2005 |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia |location=Canberra |isbn=0-642-29625-1 |oclc=62548623 |issn=1327-5658}}
*{{cite book |author=Stevens, David |author2=Sears, Jason|author3= Goldrick, James|author4= Cooper, Alastair|author5= Jones, Peter|author6= Spurling, Kathryn |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |series=The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III) |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne |isbn=0-19-554116-2 |oclc=50418095}}
*{{cite book|last1=Wright|first1=Gerry|title=Kiwi Bathurst Tales: Some stories from those who served in the four New Zealand Bathursts, HMNZ Ships Echuca, Stawell, Kiama and Inverell|date=2015|publisher=Gerry Wright|location=Auckland|isbn=9780473337193}}

===Journal and news articles===
*{{cite journal |last=Stevens |first=David |date=May 2010 |title=The Australian Corvettes |journal=Hindsight (Semaphore) |publisher=Sea Power Centre – Australia |volume=2010 |issue=5 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Semaphore_2010_5.pdf |access-date=13 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320183407/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Semaphore_2010_5.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2011 }}

{{Bathurst class corvette|others}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiama}}
[[Category:Bathurst-class corvettes of the Royal Australian Navy]]
[[Category:World War II corvettes of Australia]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:Bathurst-class corvettes of the Royal New Zealand Navy]]